Pressure compensation device designed for underwater applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11674529-B2
Application number	US-201816604822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Apr 18, 2017
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A system filled with a fluid, designed for underwater applications, in which the interior of a housing and/or tank forms a fluid region which is sealed with respect to the surrounding seawater region, includes at least one hydraulic pressure compensation device, which at least raises the pressure level of the fluid region to the ambient pressure prevailing in the seawater region. The pressure compensation device is constructed in two stages in such a way that at least one store having a flexible wall region and at least one piston store having a displaceable piston are arranged in series. The use of the pressure compensation device to pressurize at least one housing filled with fluid for a hydraulic actuating shaft is also proposed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pressure compensation device designed for underwater applications and configured to seal a housing with respect to a surrounding seawater region, said housing forming a fluid region, the pressure compensation device comprising:
at least one accumulator with a flexible wall region, the at least one accumulator defining a first interior space fluidly connected to the seawater region and a second interior space separated from the first interior space by the flexible wall region; and
at least one piston accumulator with a displaceable piston, the at least one piston accumulator having a third interior space fluidly connected to the second interior space and a fourth interior space fluidly connected to the fluid region, the piston sealing the third interior space from the fourth interior space,
wherein the pressure compensation device is configured to raise a pressure level of the fluid region to between 0.5 and 10 bar greater than the ambient pressure prevailing in the seawater region, and
wherein the pressure compensation device is constructed in two stages in such a way that the at least one accumulator and the at least one piston accumulator are arranged in series.

2. The pressure compensation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one accumulator with the flexible wall region includes one of a diaphragm accumulator and a bladder accumulator.

3. The pressure compensation device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one compression spring configured to load the piston of the piston accumulator.

4. The pressure compensation device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one spring loads the piston in a direction towards increasing the pressure level of the fluid region so as to increase the pressure level to between 0.5 and 10 bar greater than the ambient pressure.

5. The pressure compensation device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a displacement transducer configured to monitor a position of the piston of the piston accumulator.

6. The pressure compensation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the piston of the piston accumulator comprises a plurality of downstream sealing devices.

7. The pressure compensation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second interior space and the third interior space form an interspace that is defined by the at least one accumulator with the flexible wall region and by the at least one piston accumulator, the interspace being filled with a transmission medium.

8. The pressure compensation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pressure compensation device is configured as a hollow cylinder in which the at least one accumulator includes an inner accumulator that has a flexible bladder forming the flexible wall region and the at least one piston accumulator includes an outer accumulator that surrounds the inner accumulator.

9. An arrangement comprising:
a hollow cylinder configured as a drum and defining a central opening configured to guide an actuating shaft of an electronic or hydraulic component, the hollow cylinder defining a plurality of bores; and
a plurality of pressure compensation devices configured to seal a housing with respect to a surrounding seawater region, said housing forming a fluid region, each pressure compensation device arranged in an associated one of the plurality of bores, each pressure compensation device comprising:
at least one accumulator with a flexible wall region; and
at least one piston accumulator with a displaceable piston,
wherein the plurality of pressure compensation devices are configured to raise a pressure level of the fluid region at least to the ambient pressure prevailing in the seawater region, and
wherein each pressure compensation device is constructed in two stages in such a way that the at least one accumulator and the at least one piston accumulator are arranged in series.

10. A method of using a pressure compensation device comprising:
pressurizing at least one fluid-filled housing for a hydraulic actuating shaft of one of an electric motor, a pump, and a cylinder compensator with the pressure compensation device to a pressure level that is between 0.5 and 10 bar greater than the ambient pressure prevailing in a surrounding seawater region, the pressure compensation device including:
at least one accumulator with a flexible wall region, the at least one accumulator defining a first interior space fluidly connected to the seawater region and a second interior space separated from the first interior space by the flexible wall region; and
at least one piston accumulator with a displaceable piston, the at least one piston accumulator having a third interior space fluidly connected to the second interior space and a fourth interior space fluidly connected to the fluid region, the displaceable piston sealing the third interior space from the fourth interior space,
wherein the pressure compensation device is constructed in two stages in such a way that the at least one accumulator and the at least one piston accumulator are arranged in series.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Schneider Juergen
• Orth Alexandre
• Hendrix Gofttfried

Classifications

• F15B2201/3151

  the flexible separating means being diaphragms or membranes · CPC title

• F15B1/165

  in the form of a bladder · CPC title

• F15B2201/21

  using springs · CPC title

• F15B2201/405

  Housings · CPC title

• F15B2201/312

  Sealings therefor, e.g. piston rings · CPC title